Snow blower chute



y 1963 R. VACHON 3,088,779

I SNOW BLOWER CHUTE Filed Dec. 18, 1961 A EMT AGENT United States Patent 3,088,779, SNOW BLOWER'CHUTE Ren Vachon, StQ'Timothee Station; Beauhamois-County, Quebec, Canada Filed Dec. 18, 1961,'Ser. No. 160,214" Claims. (Cl; 302-61) The present invention relates to snow blowers, and more particularly to an improved orientable chute for ejecting the snow in any desired direction.

The chute in accordance withthe present invention is an improvement over the chute of Canadian Patent 542,363, dated June 18, 1957, of the same inventor.

The'chute in accordance with thepresent invention is capable, in common with the chute of the above noted Canadian patent, ejecting the snow downwardly at a nearly vertical angle so as to fill for instance the dump box of a truck disposed very near the snow blower. As in the above noted patent, the present invention provides means for automatically curving the outer end of the chute when the latter is in extended position so that said outer end will subtend a relatively large angle in order to direct the snow downwardly at a nearly vertical angle.

The main object of the present-invention resides in the provision of means for improving the chute in accordance with the above noted patent such as to obtain a greater sensibility and an improved adjustment of the vertical angle of the outer end ofthe chute due to the presence of an improved linking system between the hydraulic cylinder and piston unit and the means for actuating the terminal portion of the chute.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of means which eliminate the chain of the above noted patent used to control the pivoting action of the telescopic sectors; as said chain was disposed exteriorly of the chute, it impaired the sight of the operator and also frequently resulted in operating difliculties due to snow accumulating along the chute.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means eliminating the return spring which is found in the construction in accordance with the above noted Canadian patent, and which did not constitute positive means for returning the terminal telescopic sectors of the chute in their normal retracted position.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the chute in retracted position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the chute in an intermediate extended position;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the chute in fully extended position;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE l1;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the terminal sectional portion of the chute; and

FIGURE 7 is a cross-section taken along line 77 of FIGURE 2.

In the drawings, the same reference characters indicate the same elements throughout.

The base 1 of the chute is secured in a rotatable manner on the top of the snow receiving casing of a snow blower, such that the entire chute may rotate about a vertical axis, the base '1 being in communication through a suitable opening made in the top schematically illustrated at 2 of the snow receiving casing. Thus, the chute can be orientated so as to direct the snow in any horizontal direction. 7

The base 1 in the form of a cylinder is extended into a main duct 3 of the chute, said duct 3 being longitudinally curved and having the cross-sectional shape of a channel, as shown in FIGURE 5, withits open portion facing the inside of the curve of duct 3 A framework consisting of pairs of arms 4, 5 and 6-is-rigidly secured to the duct 3. Arms 4 are substantially horizontal and parallel to each other, and arms 6 are secured to the upper end of duct 3. This framework 4, 5 and 6 extends in the direction ofthe center of curvature of duct 3.

A second chute or duct 7 has also achannel shape cross-section and is adapted to telescopically fit over the main chute duct 3, but has a longitudinal curvature less than that of duct 3. Second chute duct 7 can be moved between a fully retracted position, shown in FIGURE 1, and a fully extended position, shown in FIGURE 3, by passing through an intermediate position, shown in FIG- URE 2. In order to-accompl'ish this movement, the secondduct 7 is guided and is supported by a pair of levers 8 and by a pair of triangular elements 9'; l'evers 8 are pivoted at 10 on second duct 7 and at 11 at the junction of arms 5 and 6. Triangular elements 9' are pivoted at 12 to the lower end of the second duct 7' and at 13 to the junction of arms 4 and 5.

A hydraulic cylinder and piston unit '14 is pivoted at 15 to the chute duct 3 and its piston is provided with a transverse shaft 16 which is pivotally connected to the pair of triangular elements 9 at points spaced from pivots 13 to provide crank arms whereby extension of hydraulic cylinder and piston unit 14 causes extension of the second chute duct 7.

Duct 7 and levers 8 together with triangular elements 9 form with arms 5 deformable quadrilateral arrangements by means of which the second chute portion 7 is directed in its translatory movement in accordance with any desired path.

The outer end of second duct 7 is provided with a plurality of telescopically engaging chute sectors 17, 18 and '19. Three such sectors are shown in the drawings, but their number can be varied. Sectors 17, 18 and 19 have a channel shape cross-section and are overlapping each other. Sector 17 is pivoted atv 20, at its top rear corners to the upper corner of second duct 7. Similarly, sector 18 is pivoted at 21 to sector 17 and sector 19 is pivoted at 22 to sector 18.

A yoke member 23 having an inverted U-shape is pivotally connected at the lower end of its legs to the outer end of second chute duct 7 near the lower edge thereof. Yoke 23 freely encloses chute duct 7 and is pivotally connected to sectors .17, 1'8 and 19 by link bars 25, 26 and 27 disposed on each side of the chute. Each leg of the yoke 23 is provided with a rigid arm 28 at right angles thereto and the free end of which is pivotally connected to a triangular part 30 of arm 8 by means of a link 29. More specifically, part 30* forms a crank arm whereby the pivotal connection 31 of link 29 to part 30 will describe an arc of a circle about pivot 10 during the translatory movement of the second chute duct 7.

The chute in accordance with the present invention operates as follows: In its fully retracted position, the second chute duct 7 completely overlaps the first chute duct 3, as shown in 'FIGURE 1*, and the sectors 17, 18 and 19 are maintained in a pivoted position in which they are upwardly directed, yoke 23 having its upper transverse leg close to sector 17. When the hydraulic cylinder and piston unit 14 is operated to take an extended position, it causes pivotal movement of triangular elements 9 about pivot 13 and thus move second chute duct 7 outwardly and this movement causes the pivotal movement of each triangular part 30- about pivot and thus the pivot point 31 describes an arc of a circle in clockwise direction towards yoke 23 and the latter is positively maintained in practically its original position during the major part of the extension stroke of second chute duct 7. Thus, there is practically no pivotal movement of the sectors 17, 18 and 19 during this first portion of the stroke of second chute duct 7. With the continuing extension of duct 7, each point 31 starts to move downwardly or inwardly towards the centre of curvature of second chute duct 7, and to pull on link 29 (see FIGURES 2 and 3) whereby yoke 23 starts to pivot about pivot point 24 rearwardly towards the lower end of second chute duct 7 and thus causes pivotal movement of sectors 17, 18 and 519 until the latter have obtained their limit extended position, shown in FIGURE 3. Retracting movement of the hydraulic cylinder and piston unit 14 causes the retracting movement of the chute from its extended position, shown in FIGURE 3, to its fully retracted position, shown in FIGURE 1.

It is to be noted that the system in accordance with the present invention is positive for the two directions of displacement of chute duct 7; that is, sectors '17, 18 and 19 are positively pivoted by yoke 23 and triangular part 30 of arms 8. Finally, it is to be noted that the pivotal movement of sectors 17, .18 and 19 between their two limit positions correspond to a relatively large angular movement of duct 7 with respect to duct 3 of the chute (compare FIGURES 2 and 3), whereby it is easier to adjust the vertical direction of the snow ejection. In fact, the system in accordance with the present invention enables to displace the second chute duct 7 a distance at least equal to twice the displacement of the second chute portion of the system in accordance with the above noted Canadian patent for the same pivoting angle of the sectors 17, 18 and '19.

While a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A snow ejecting chute for snow blowers comprising a first curved chute portion adapted to be mounted on the snow receiving casing of a snow blower, a second curved chute portion having a substantially channel shape cross-section and overlapping and in telescopic engagement with said first chute portion, a framework rigid with said first chute portion and extending towards the center of curvature thereof, arms pivoted at spaced pivot points on said framework and at the ends of said second chute portion, power means for pivoting said arms and thus displace said second chute portion with respect to said first portion between a retracted position and an extended position, chute sectors of channel shape cross-section and in telescopic engagement forming an extension for said second chute portion, said sectors being pivoted one to another and to the upper end of said second chute portion, a yoke member pivotally connected to said second chute portion adjacent said sectors, and pivotally linked to said sectors, at least one of the arms supporting said Second chute portion on said framework provided with a crank arm and a link pivotally connecting said crank arm to said yoke in order that pivoting movement of said crank arm with respect to said second chute portion will cause pivoting of said yoke on said second chute portion, and thus pivotal movement of said sectors in order to form a highly curved extension for said chute during extension movement of said second chute portion.

2. A snow blower chute as claimed in claim 1, wherein said yoke is provided with an arm at right angles thereto, said link being pivotally connected to the outer end of said arm and at its other end to said crank arm.

3. A chute as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pivotal connection of said link to said crank arm describes an arc of a circle which moves closer and closer to the pivotal connection of said yoke to said second chute portion during extending movement of said second chute portion. 7

4. A snow blower chute as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first chute portion is rotatably mounted on said snow blower casing for turning movement about a vertical axis.

5. A snow blower chute as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sectors are pivotally connected one to the other at their top corners while their lower portions overlap each other more or less during their mutual pivotal movement, said mutual pivotal movement being accomplished during only a minor portion of the translation movement of said second chute portion with respect to said first chute portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A SNOW EJECTING CHUTE FOR SNOW BLOWERS COMPRISING A FIRST CURVED CHUTE PORTION ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON THE SNOW RECEIVING CASING OF A SNOW BLOWER, A SECOND CURVED CHUTE PORTION HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CHANNEL SHAPE CROSS-SECTION AND OVERLAPPING AND IN TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CHUTE PORTION, A FRAMEWORK RIGID WITH SAID FIRST CHUTE PORTION AND EXTENDING TOWARDS THE CENTER OF CURVATURE THEREOF, ARMS PIVOTED AT SPACED PIVOT POINTS ON SAID FRAMEWORK AND AT THE ENDS OF SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION, POWER MEANS FOR PIVOTING SAID ARMS AND THUS DISPLACE SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST PORTION BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION AND AN EXTENDED POSITION, CHUTE SECTORS OF CHANNEL SHAPE CROSS-SECTION AND IN TELESCOPIC ENGAGEMENT FORMING AN EXTENSION FOR SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION, SAID SECTORS BEING PIVOTED ONE TO ANOTHER AND TO THE UPPER END OF SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION, A YOKE MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION ADJACENT SAID SECTORS, AND PIVOTALLY LINKED TO SAID SECTORS, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ARMS SUPPORTING SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION ON SAID FRAMEWORK PROVIDED WITH A CRANK ARM AND A LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID CRANK ARM TO SAID YOKE IN ORDER THAT PIVOTING MOVEMENT OF SAID CRANK ARM WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION WILL CAUSE PIVOTING OF SAID YOKE ON SECOND CHUTE PORTION, AND THUS PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SECTORS IN ORDER TO FORM A HIGHLY CURVED EXTENSION FOR SAID CHUTE DURING EXTENSION MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND CHUTE PORTION. 